ILOILO CITY, Jan. 27 -– The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)–Protected Areas and Wildlife Coastal Zones Management Services (PAWCZMS) is encouraging coastal towns to promote wetlands tourism in celebration of World Wetlands Day (WWD) on February 2.
DENR VI Regional Executive Director Julian D. Amador said that wetland tourism benefits both the communities and wildlife preservation, as it entails stronger economy, sustainable livelihood, healthy people, and thriving ecosystems.
“It is another opportunity for the people to work with the environment. Wetlands tourism provides a venue for the community protecting the ecosystem, and in return, these activities could provide them sustainable living,” Amador said.
The PAWCZMS has lined-up various activities in line with the celebration of the WWD. There will be an educational tour at Banate Bay, (situated within the municipalities of Barotac Nuevo, Anilao, Banate and Barotac Viejo, Iloilo.
The activities include waterbird watching and identification, communing with nature, and mangrove and associate species identification
There will also be focus group discussion on biodiversity conservation in identified community centers.
This year’s celebration has the theme “Wetland Tourism: A Great Experience,” stressing tourism as one of the many services that wetlands deliver. The activity also underscores the opportunity to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits.
The activity shall emphasize well-managed tourism practices in and around wetlands and educating tourists on the value of wetland contributes to their health and the long-term benefits that wetland provide to people, wildlife, economics, and biodiversity.
DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said that the campaign on wetlands tourism is also a venue to look at the value of wetlands from the perspective of tourists and local communities, in consonance with the program of President Benigno Aquino III in preserving the environment. (PNA)
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